Motion-picture film winder



Dec. 22, 1953 A K HINCHMAN 2,663,509

MOTION-PICTURE FILM WINDER Filed July 21 1949 INVENTOR Patented Dec. 22, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcEg MTIN-PICTILM WI-NDER Alva K. Hinchman, Bryn Mawr, Pa.

Application July 21, 1949', Serial No. 106,051

My invention relates to a new and useful motion picture film vlinder and has for one of its objects to provide an exceedingly simple and effective device of this character for quickly transferring a nlm from one reel to another.

In the motion picture industry it is often neces" sary to transfer a nlm from one reel to another and this is particularly true in that branch of the industry where lrns are rented to customers who use a film for only one showing thereof and return such film to the party renting out the same. In such a case, the customer often fails to rewind the lm onto the original reel and therefore it is in reverse position and must be transferred to another reel prior` to the next exhibition. I-Ieretofore the rewinding has been done on a hand-operated device which is a relatively slow process and the reel containing the nlm in reverse is free to revolve after being-initially started which often results in a portion of the film sagging and contacting adjacent surfaces causing scratches or other damage to the nlm. Therefore another object of the present invention is to provide a film Winder which will eliminate the above mentioned disadvantages by constructing the apparatus so that it may be electrically driven for fast action and reversible at any time during the winding opw erations as well as providing a drag or brake-like action on the reel from which the film is being withdrawn.

Another object of this invention is to provide a film Winder consisting of a base member having two electric motors thereon, one motor running clockwise and the other counterclockwise, conf nected to a two-way switch whereby either motor may be actuated as desired, and the electric circuit having a rheostat interposed therein controlling the speed of the motor being operated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a universal reel holder and latch which will sup port reels of different sizes, such as 3, 16 and 32 millimeters, and those having different shaped hub bearings, such as round, rectangular or cornbinations of both configurations.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a reel holder and latch vfor detachable mounting on either or both ends of a motor shaft which projects from both ends of the motor casing.

With the above and other objects in View this invention consists of the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then designated by the claim.

In order that those skilled in the art vto which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same I will describe its construction in detail referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing ,forming a part hereof in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a iilm Winder con- 1 Claim. (Cl. 242-55) structed. according to my invention and a. foot op.V erated rheostat associated therewith.

Fig. 2 is. an enlarged elevation of one of the. reel holders mounted on a motor shaft which is partlyY broken away and showing a part of one type lof reel in section held in place on the reel holder.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the electricalv circuit.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the resilient spacing means. y

In carrying out my invention as herein embodied I0 represents a base member or panel of suitable material and convenient length, width and, preferably, provided with feet I I.

On top of the base member I0 are mounted two motors I2 and I3, one adjacent each end of said base member. These motors are known in the trade as double-end motors in that the shaft of each one projects from both ends of the-casing. The shafts are numbered I4 and I5, respectively, and one end of each, preferably but not necessarily, extends beyond one of the longer side edges of the base member.

These motors are in reverse positions to oneV another, that is, what might be consideradas the front end of one motor faces the near side longer edge ofthe base member as shown in Fig. 1 and what may be considered the rear end ofthe otherv motor faces the same longer edge of saidba-se member. With the motors thus mounted and arranged the end of the shaft I4 carrying the reel holder to be presently described revolves counter.

clockwise during operation while the similar end of shaft I3 revolves clockwise.

An ordinary two-way switch I6 includes two contacts I'I and I8 and a switch lever I9, Fig. 3. One contact, as l1, is connected by a conductor 20 with one side of the motor I2 and the other contact I8 of the switch is connected by a con-y ductor ZI with one side of the other motor I3;

The other side of said other motor I3 is connected by a conductor 22 to a terminal (not shown.) Within the socket member 23, Fig. 1, of a separable connector 24 also including the plug memberV 25 and said conductor 22 forms one portion of one side of an electric circuit finally connected with a source of currentand another portion of said onev side of the circuit is the conductor 28, Fig. 3, at tached to the plug member 25 of said separable connector 24. The other side of the first mentioned motor i1 is connected by a conductor'2l with the conductor 22. f

The switch blade I9 of the two-way switch I6' is connected by a conductor 28, Fig. 3, to a second terminal (not shown) within said socket member 23, Fig. l, of said separable connector 24 and said conductor 28 forms one portion of the other side of the electric circuit finally connected with the source of current. Another of said other side of the circuit is the conductor 29, Fig. 3, attached to the plug member 25 of said separable connector 24 and connected to the resistance 30, Fig. 3, of the rheostat 3l, Fig, 1, preferably of the foot operated type, for which a treadle 32 is provided.

Attached'to Vthe treadle for operation in one direction is a contact lever 33 which slidably engages the resistance 30 and said contact lever is d latch 4I is swung over so as to engage the contiguous face of the reel which will hold the latter in place to revolve with the reel holder and its motor shaft.

A reel having a round hubV bearing is similarly mounted and the tension of the resilient spac- -v ing means will cause such a reel to revolve with urged in the opposite direction by a spring 34.

A conductor 35 is connected with the contact lever 33 and the source of current and also forms a portion of said other side of the circuit in which is included the aforementioned conductors 28 and 29, and the resistance 30 and contact lever 33 of the rheostat 3i.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that when the switch blade I3 is engaged with the Contact I'I the motor I2 will be in circuit for operation and when the switch blade is engaged with the contact I3 the motor i3 will be in circuit for operation, whereas when said switch blade is in a neutral position neither motor can be operated. When either motor is in circuit the operation of the rheostat will cause that motor which is in circuit to run and. at any desired speed within its minimum and maximum rates.

The conductors between the switch, motors and socket member 23 of the separable connector 2li may all be located against the underneath face of the base member I except where they pass through the latter for attachment to the motors which are located a distance above the top surface of said base member on mounting brackets 36, Fig. 1.

A reel holder 3l, Fig. 2, is mounted on what will be referred to as the front end of each motor shaft when consideredv relative to the complete apparatus, the same being the n ear lends of the device as depicted in Fig. l. Each reel holder 37 includes an integral journal member consisting of av collar 38, aneck 39,l square in cross section, and a trunnion i3 which is bifurcated at its outer end toreceive the swinging latch Il! mounted on a pivot Q2 nxed in the trunnion across the slot of the bifurcatedend. This journal member has a socket in its inner end so that said journal member may be slipped over the end of a motor shaft and detachably held in place-by set screws On the journal member is mounted a resilient spacing means, Figs. 2 and 4, composed of two discs 44 and 45, each with a square central hole 46 of a size to snugly nt the square neck 33 of said journal member and said discsare fastened to opposite ends of av coil 'spring lil with the holes in substantially constant alignment. 'Ordinarily one disc isvto remain on the square neck and against the collar 33 whilethe other disc isurged outwardly relative to the 'journal member 31. As the holes in the-discs are in alignment and theinner disc is positioned on the square neck by the square hole of said'inner disc, the outer disc will telescope onto said square neck when forced inwardly against the action of the spring a sufcient distance to engage saidneck.

Two types of reels i8 and 43. are` illustrated in Fig. l, the one numbered d8 having round hub bearings 50, and the other provided with square hub bearings I, Fig. 1. In many instances one or more radial notches extend from the edge of the hub bearing opening. A suitable reel having at least one square bearing can be placed on the reel holder, while the latch ll! is turned to a position axially of the trunnion, and pushed back to contact the spacing means so the hub bearing passes onto the square neck. Then the the reel holder and if the reel has a notch which, generally is the case, the tail end of the latch 4I can be entered into said notch and the reel will be positively connected to the reel holder.

In practice, when winding a motion picture nlm 52 from one reel to another, as from reel i9 to reel 48, Fig. 1, the switch lever I3 is moved to the left which will place motor I 2 in the electric circuit. Thereafter, by operating the rheostat 3l the' speed of said motor will be controlled thereby regulating the speed at which the nlm is wound onto the reel 48. The reel 43 being mounted on the reel holder connected to the motor I3 will be retarded so that, in effect, the nlm is under the influence of a brake action to prevent said nlm from sagging or napping about which might cause damage thereto.

During the winding operation, should the operator notice a defect or damaged place in the nlm said operator may, without changing the position of the rheostat contact lever, stop the motor I2 and, if necessary, start the motor I3 to back the nlm until the damaged part is returned to the space between the two reels and then said motor I3 can be stopped. This will give the operator an opportunity to more closely ezamine the nlm and make repairs if necessary.

Of course I do not Wish to be limited to the' exact details of construction herein shown and described as these may be varied Within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and useful is:

In a motion picture nlm Winder, a reel holder for detachable mounting on the end of a revolvable shaft and comprising a collar slidable over the shaft, a substantially square neck `pro- ALVA K. HINCHMAN.

References Cited in the nie of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 771,280 smith oct. 4, 1904 1,713,277 Goldberg et al. May 14, 1929 1,775,610 lWeiss Sept. 9, 1930 1,820,731 Dainovv Aug. 25, 1931 2,048,382 Holden July 2l, 1936 2,064,088' Stechbart Dec. 15, 1936 2,412,551 Pratt Dec. 10, 1946 2,537,263 Fogle Jan. 9, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 459,035 Great Britain Dec. 31, 1936 man. W4 

